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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, December 12, 2019 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, today, Thursday, December 12, laid before the National Assembly the Appropriation (2020) Bill, 2019, of approximately EC$848.9 million for the fiscal year 2020.

The Appropriation (2020) Bill, 2019, is a Bill to provide for the services of Saint Christopher and Nevis for the financial year commencing January 01, 2020, and ending on December 31, 2020.

The recommended allocations which represent the proposals for both recurrent and capital expenditure are: the Governor General EC$2.2 million; the Federal Parliament EC$2.2 million; the Audit Office EC$1.3 million; the Ministry of Justice, Legal Affairs and Communication EC$52.5 million; the Office of the Prime Minister EC$47.5 million; the Ministry of National Security EC$99.2 million; International Trade, Industry and Commerce EC$4.1 million, while the Ministry of Finance will receive EC$272.5 million.

The Ministry of Community Development, Gender Affairs and Social Services will receive EC$37.6 million; the Ministry of Agriculture, Human Settlement, Cooperatives and the Environment will be allotted EC$15.9 million; Ministry of Tourism EC$35.2 million; Public Infrastructure, Post and Urban Development and Transport will receive EC $83.5 million; the Ministry of Education will receive EC$89.9 million; EC$61.9 million going towards Health; EC$15.7 towards Youth, Sport and Culture; the Ministry of Sustainable Development will be allotted EC$19.2 million; Foreign Affairs and Aviation, EC$20.6 million; Office of the Attorney General EC$13.9 million; and the Ministry of Nevis Affairs, Labour, Social Security and Ecclesiastical Affairs will receive EC$3.4 million.

In presenting the $848.9 million Budget under the theme, “Let’s Keep Building a Strong and Safer Future for St. Kitts & Nevis,” Prime Minister Harris stated that his Team Unity Government “continues to make a difference in the lives of our people living here in the Federation.”

This year also marks the fifth consecutive year that the Team Unity administration has introduced a tax free Budget.

Prime Minister Harris said, “The prospects are very good for continued growth and development of our twin island Federation. Such good tidings also bring confidence that we would be able to implement our plans for 2020 without the introduction of new taxes. We would therefore organize and make an extra effort to roll out these plans which are designed to move our country forward.”

The introduction of the Appropriation (2020) Bill, 2019, came after the laying of the Estimates of Expenditure, which were approved by the Honourable House.